Shloka 3
आशा-कृशता उपाख्यानम्
The Episode on the Emaciation Caused by Hope
पितामहाशा महती ममासीद्धि सुयोधने । प्राप्ते युद्धे तु तद् युक्त तत् कर्तायमिति प्रभो
Pitāmahāśā mahatī mamāsīd dhi Suyodhane | prāpte yuddhe tu tad yuktaṃ tat kartāyam iti prabho, Pitāmaha!
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “O Grandsire, I had placed great hope in Suyodhana (Duryodhana). I thought that when the moment of war arrived, he would choose what was proper—indeed, that he would do the right thing. O revered Pitāmaha, I believed he would restore to me half the kingdom without forcing a battle.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical expectation that even at the brink of war, a ruler should choose the ‘yukta’ (proper, dharmic) course—restraint, fairness, and restitution—rather than letting pride and greed compel violence.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Bhīṣma, recalling that he had hoped Duryodhana would act rightly when war became imminent—specifically, that he would return half the kingdom without forcing a battle.